the poet at the breakfast table-µÚ36ÕÂ
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
How¡¡general¡¡is¡¡the¡¡republican¡¡form¡¡of¡¡government¡¡£¿
Do¡¡men¡¡fly¡¡yet£¿
Has¡¡the¡¡universal¡¡language¡¡come¡¡into¡¡use£¿
Is¡¡there¡¡a¡¡new¡¡fuel¡¡since¡¡the¡¡English¡¡coal¡mines¡¡have¡¡given¡¡out£¿
Is¡¡the¡¡euthanasia¡¡a¡¡recognized¡¡branch¡¡of¡¡medical¡¡science£¿
Is¡¡the¡¡oldest¡¡inhabitant¡¡still¡¡living£¿
Is¡¡the¡¡Daily¡¡Advertiser¡¡still¡¡published£¿
And¡¡the¡¡Evening¡¡Transcript£¿
Is¡¡there¡¡much¡¡inquiry¡¡for¡¡the¡¡works¡¡of¡¡a¡¡writer¡¡of¡¡the¡¡nineteenth
century¡¡£¨Old¡¡Style£©¡¡bythe¡¡name¡¡ofof
My¡¡tongue¡¡cleaves¡¡to¡¡the¡¡roof¡¡of¡¡my¡¡mouth¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡cannot¡¡imagine¡¡the
putting¡¡of¡¡that¡¡question¡¡without¡¡feeling¡¡the¡¡tremors¡¡which¡¡shake¡¡a
wooer¡¡as¡¡he¡¡falters¡¡out¡¡the¡¡words¡¡the¡¡answer¡¡to¡¡which¡¡will¡¡make¡¡him
happy¡¡or¡¡wretched¡£
Whose¡¡works¡¡was¡¡I¡¡going¡¡to¡¡question¡¡him¡¡about£»¡¡do¡¡you¡¡ask¡¡me£¿
Oh£»¡¡the¡¡writings¡¡of¡¡a¡¡friend¡¡of¡¡mine£»¡¡much¡¡esteemed¡¡by¡¡his¡¡relatives
and¡¡others¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡it's¡¡of¡¡no¡¡consequence£»¡¡after¡¡all£»¡¡I¡¡think¡¡he¡¡says
he¡¡does¡¡not¡¡care¡¡much¡¡for¡¡posthumous¡¡reputation¡£
I¡¡find¡¡something¡¡of¡¡the¡¡same¡¡interest¡¡in¡¡thinking¡¡about¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the
boarders¡¡at¡¡our¡¡table¡¡that¡¡I¡¡find¡¡in¡¡my¡¡waking¡¡dreams¡¡concerning¡¡the
Man¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Monument¡£¡¡¡¡This¡¡personage¡¡is¡¡the¡¡Register¡¡of¡¡Deeds¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡is
an¡¡unemotional¡¡character£»¡¡living¡¡in¡¡his¡¡business¡¡almost¡¡as
exclusively¡¡as¡¡the¡¡Scarabee£»¡¡but¡¡without¡¡any¡¡of¡¡that¡¡eagerness¡¡and
enthusiasm¡¡which¡¡belong¡¡to¡¡our¡¡scientific¡¡specialist¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡work¡¡is
largely£»¡¡principally£»¡¡I¡¡may¡¡say£»¡¡mechanical¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡has¡¡developed£»
however£»¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡amount¡¡of¡¡taste¡¡for¡¡the¡¡antiquities¡¡of¡¡his
department£»¡¡and¡¡once¡¡in¡¡a¡¡while¡¡brings¡¡out¡¡some¡¡curious¡¡result¡¡of¡¡his
investigations¡¡into¡¡ancient¡¡documents¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡too¡¡belongs¡¡to¡¡a¡¡dynasty
which¡¡will¡¡last¡¡as¡¡long¡¡as¡¡there¡¡is¡¡such¡¡a¡¡thing¡¡as¡¡property¡¡in¡¡land
and¡¡dwellings¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡that¡¡is¡¡done¡¡away¡¡with£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡return¡¡to¡¡the
state¡¡of¡¡villanage£»¡¡holding¡¡our¡¡tenement¡houses£»¡¡all¡¡to¡¡be¡¡of¡¡the
same¡¡pattern£»¡¡of¡¡the¡¡State£»¡¡that¡¡is¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Tammany¡¡Ring¡¡which
is¡¡to¡¡take¡¡the¡¡place¡¡of¡¡the¡¡feudal¡¡lord£»the¡¡office¡¡of¡¡Register¡¡of
Deeds¡¡will£»¡¡I¡¡presume£»¡¡become¡¡useless£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡dynasty¡¡will¡¡be
deposed¡£
As¡¡we¡¡grow¡¡older¡¡we¡¡think¡¡more¡¡and¡¡more¡¡of¡¡old¡¡persons¡¡and¡¡of¡¡old
things¡¡and¡¡places¡£¡¡¡¡As¡¡to¡¡old¡¡persons£»¡¡it¡¡seems¡¡as¡¡if¡¡we¡¡never¡¡know
how¡¡much¡¡they¡¡have¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡until¡¡we¡¡are¡¡old¡¡ourselves¡¡and¡¡they¡¡have
been¡¡gone¡¡twenty¡¡or¡¡thirty¡¡years¡£¡¡¡¡Once¡¡in¡¡a¡¡while¡¡we¡¡come¡¡upon¡¡some
survivor¡¡of¡¡his¡¡or¡¡her¡¡generation¡¡that¡¡we¡¡have¡¡overlooked£»¡¡and¡¡feel
as¡¡if¡¡we¡¡had¡¡recovered¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lost¡¡books¡¡of¡¡Livy¡¡or¡¡fished¡¡up¡¡the
golden¡¡candlestick¡¡from¡¡the¡¡ooze¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Tiber¡£¡¡¡¡So¡¡it¡¡was¡¡the¡¡other
day¡¡after¡¡my¡¡reminiscences¡¡of¡¡the¡¡old¡¡gambrel¡roofed¡¡house¡¡and¡¡its
visitors¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡found¡¡an¡¡echo¡¡in¡¡the¡¡recollections¡¡of¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the
brightest¡¡and¡¡liveliest¡¡of¡¡my¡¡suburban¡¡friends£»¡¡whose¡¡memory¡¡is¡¡exact
about¡¡everything¡¡except¡¡her¡¡own¡¡age£»¡¡which£»¡¡there¡¡can¡¡be¡¡no¡¡doubt£»
she¡¡makes¡¡out¡¡a¡¡score¡¡or¡¡two¡¡of¡¡years¡¡more¡¡than¡¡it¡¡really¡¡is¡£¡¡¡¡Still
she¡¡was¡¡old¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡touch¡¡some¡¡lightsand¡¡a¡¡shadow¡¡or¡¡twointo
the¡¡portraits¡¡I¡¡had¡¡drawn£»¡¡which¡¡made¡¡me¡¡wish¡¡that¡¡she¡¡and¡¡not¡¡I¡¡had
been¡¡the¡¡artist¡¡who¡¡sketched¡¡the¡¡pictures¡£¡¡¡¡Among¡¡the¡¡lesser¡¡regrets
that¡¡mingle¡¡with¡¡graver¡¡sorrows¡¡for¡¡the¡¡friends¡¡of¡¡an¡¡earlier
generation¡¡we¡¡have¡¡lost£»¡¡are¡¡our¡¡omissions¡¡to¡¡ask¡¡them¡¡so¡¡many
questions¡¡they¡¡could¡¡have¡¡answered¡¡easily¡¡enough£»¡¡and¡¡would¡¡have¡¡been
pleased¡¡to¡¡be¡¡asked¡£¡¡¡¡There£¡¡¡¡¡I¡¡say¡¡to¡¡myself¡¡sometimes£»¡¡in¡¡an¡¡absent
mood£»¡¡I¡¡must¡¡ask¡¡her¡¡about¡¡that¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡she¡¡of¡¡whom¡¡I¡¡am¡¡now¡¡thinking
has¡¡long¡¡been¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡reach¡¡of¡¡any¡¡earthly¡¡questioning£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡sigh
to¡¡think¡¡how¡¡easily¡¡I¡¡could¡¡have¡¡learned¡¡some¡¡fact¡¡which¡¡I¡¡should
have¡¡been¡¡happy¡¡to¡¡have¡¡transmitted¡¡with¡¡pious¡¡care¡¡to¡¡those¡¡who¡¡are
to¡¡come¡¡after¡¡me¡£¡¡¡¡How¡¡many¡¡times¡¡I¡¡have¡¡heard¡¡her¡¡quote¡¡the¡¡line
about¡¡blessings¡¡brightening¡¡as¡¡they¡¡take¡¡their¡¡flight£»¡¡and¡¡how¡¡true
it¡¡proves¡¡in¡¡many¡¡little¡¡ways¡¡that¡¡one¡¡never¡¡thinks¡¡of¡¡until¡¡it¡¡is
too¡¡late¡£
The¡¡Register¡¡of¡¡Deeds¡¡is¡¡not¡¡himself¡¡advanced¡¡in¡¡years¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡he
borrows¡¡an¡¡air¡¡of¡¡antiquity¡¡from¡¡the¡¡ancient¡¡records¡¡which¡¡are¡¡stored
in¡¡his¡¡sepulchral¡¡archives¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡love¡¡to¡¡go¡¡to¡¡his¡¡ossuary¡¡of¡¡dead
transactions£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡would¡¡visit¡¡the¡¡catacombs¡¡of¡¡Rome¡¡or¡¡Paris¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is
like¡¡wandering¡¡up¡¡the¡¡Nile¡¡to¡¡stray¡¡among¡¡the¡¡shelves¡¡of¡¡his
monumental¡¡folios¡£¡¡¡¡Here¡¡stands¡¡a¡¡series¡¡of¡¡volumes£»¡¡extending¡¡over¡¡a
considerable¡¡number¡¡of¡¡years£»¡¡all¡¡of¡¡which¡¡volumes¡¡are¡¡in¡¡his
handwriting¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡as¡¡you¡¡go¡¡backward¡¡there¡¡is¡¡a¡¡break£»¡¡and¡¡you¡¡come
upon¡¡the¡¡writing¡¡of¡¡another¡¡person£»¡¡who¡¡was¡¡getting¡¡old¡¡apparently£»
for¡¡it¡¡is¡¡beginning¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡little¡¡shaky£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡you¡¡know¡¡that¡¡you
have¡¡gone¡¡back¡¡as¡¡far¡¡as¡¡the¡¡last¡¡days¡¡of¡¡his¡¡predecessor¡£¡¡¡¡Thirty¡¡or
forty¡¡years¡¡more¡¡carry¡¡you¡¡to¡¡the¡¡time¡¡when¡¡this¡¡incumbent¡¡began¡¡the
duties¡¡of¡¡his¡¡office£»¡¡his¡¡hand¡¡was¡¡steady¡¡then£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡next¡¡volume
beyond¡¡it¡¡in¡¡date¡¡betrays¡¡the¡¡work¡¡of¡¡a¡¡still¡¡different¡¡writer¡£¡¡¡¡All
this¡¡interests¡¡me£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡see¡¡how¡¡it¡¡is¡¡going¡¡to¡¡interest¡¡my
reader¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡feel¡¡very¡¡happy¡¡about¡¡the¡¡Register¡¡of¡¡Deeds¡£¡¡¡¡What
can¡¡I¡¡do¡¡with¡¡him£¿¡¡¡¡Of¡¡what¡¡use¡¡is¡¡he¡¡going¡¡to¡¡be¡¡in¡¡my¡¡record¡¡of
what¡¡I¡¡have¡¡seen¡¡and¡¡heard¡¡at¡¡the¡¡breakfast¡table£¿¡¡¡¡The¡¡fact¡¡of¡¡his
being¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡boarders¡¡was¡¡not¡¡so¡¡important¡¡that¡¡I¡¡was¡¡obliged¡¡to
speak¡¡of¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡might¡¡just¡¡as¡¡well¡¡have¡¡drawn¡¡on¡¡my¡¡imagination
and¡¡not¡¡allowed¡¡this¡¡dummy¡¡to¡¡take¡¡up¡¡the¡¡room¡¡which¡¡another¡¡guest
might¡¡have¡¡profitably¡¡filled¡¡at¡¡our¡¡breakfast¡table¡£
I¡¡suppose¡¡he¡¡will¡¡prove¡¡a¡¡superfluity£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡have¡¡got¡¡him¡¡on¡¡my
hands£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡mean¡¡that¡¡he¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡as¡¡little¡¡in¡¡the¡¡way¡¡as¡¡possible¡£
One¡¡always¡¡comes¡¡across¡¡people¡¡in¡¡actual¡¡life¡¡who¡¡have¡¡no¡¡particular
business¡¡to¡¡be¡¡where¡¡we¡¡find¡¡them£»¡¡and¡¡whose¡¡right¡¡to¡¡be¡¡at¡¡all¡¡is
somewhat¡¡questionable¡£
I¡¡am¡¡not¡¡going¡¡to¡¡get¡¡rid¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Register¡¡of¡¡Deeds¡¡by¡¡putting¡¡him¡¡out
of¡¡the¡¡way£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡confess¡¡I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡see¡¡of¡¡what¡¡service¡¡he¡¡is¡¡going¡¡to
be¡¡to¡¡me¡¡in¡¡my¡¡record¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡have¡¡often¡¡found£»¡¡however£»¡¡that¡¡the
Disposer¡¡of¡¡men¡¡and¡¡things¡¡understands¡¡much¡¡better¡¡than¡¡we¡¡do¡¡how¡¡to
place¡¡his¡¡pawns¡¡and¡¡other¡¡pieces¡¡on¡¡the¡¡chess¡board¡¡of¡¡life¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡fish
more¡¡or¡¡less¡¡in¡¡the¡¡ocean¡¡does¡¡not¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡amount¡¡to¡¡much¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡not
extravagant¡¡to¡¡say¡¡that¡¡any¡¡one¡¡fish¡¡may¡¡be¡¡considered¡¡a
supernumerary¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡when¡¡Captain¡¡Coram's¡¡ship¡¡sprung¡¡a¡¡leak¡¡and¡¡the
carpenter¡¡could¡¡not¡¡stop¡¡it£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡passengers¡¡had¡¡made¡¡up¡¡their
minds¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡all¡¡over¡¡with¡¡them£»¡¡all¡¡at¡¡once£»¡¡without¡¡any
apparent¡¡reason£»¡¡the¡¡pumps¡¡began¡¡gaining¡¡on¡¡the¡¡leak£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡sinking
ship¡¡to¡¡lift¡¡herself¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡abyss¡¡which¡¡was¡¡swallowing¡¡her¡¡up¡£
And¡¡what¡¡do¡¡you¡¡think¡¡it¡¡was¡¡that¡¡saved¡¡the¡¡ship£»¡¡and¡¡Captain¡¡Coram£»
and¡¡so¡¡in¡¡due¡¡time¡¡gave¡¡to¡¡London¡¡that¡¡Foundling¡¡Hospital¡¡which¡¡he
endowed£»¡¡and¡¡under¡¡the¡¡floor¡¡of¡¡which¡¡he¡¡lies¡¡buried£¿¡¡¡¡Why£»¡¡it¡¡was
that¡¡very¡¡supernumerary¡¡fish£»¡¡which¡¡we¡¡held¡¡of¡¡so¡¡little¡¡account£»¡¡but
which¡¡had¡¡wedged¡¡itself¡¡into¡¡the¡¡rent¡¡of¡¡the¡¡yawning¡¡planks£»¡¡and
served¡¡to¡¡keep¡¡out¡¡the¡¡water¡¡until¡¡the¡¡leak¡¡was¡¡finally¡¡stopped¡£
I¡¡am¡¡very¡¡sure¡¡it¡¡was¡¡Captain¡¡Coram£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡almost¡¡hope¡¡it¡¡was
somebody¡¡else£»¡¡in¡¡order¡¡to¡¡give¡¡some¡¡poor¡¡fellow¡¡who¡¡is¡¡lying¡¡in¡¡wait
for¡¡the¡¡periodicals¡¡a¡¡chance¡¡to¡¡correct¡¡me¡£¡¡¡¡That¡¡will¡¡make¡¡him¡¡happy
for¡¡a¡¡month£»¡¡and¡¡besides£»¡¡he¡¡will¡¡not¡¡want¡¡to¡¡pick¡¡a¡¡quarrel¡¡about
anything¡¡else¡¡if¡¡he¡¡has¡¡that¡¡splendid¡¡triumph¡£¡¡¡¡You¡¡remember
Alcibiades¡¡and¡¡his¡¡dog's¡¡tail¡£
Here¡¡you¡¡have¡¡the¡¡extracts¡¡I¡¡spoke¡¡of¡¡from¡¡the¡¡manuscript¡¡placed¡¡in
my¡¡hands¡¡for¡¡revision¡¡and¡¡emendation¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡can¡¡understand¡¡these
alternations¡¡of¡¡feeling¡¡in¡¡a¡¡young¡¡person¡¡who¡¡has¡¡been¡¡long¡¡absorbed
in¡¡a¡¡single¡¡pursuit£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡whom¡¡the¡¡human¡¡instincts¡¡which¡¡have¡¡been
long¡¡silent¡¡are¡¡now¡¡beginning¡¡to¡¡find¡¡expression¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡know¡¡well¡¡what
he¡¡wants£»¡¡a¡¡great¡¡deal¡¡better£»¡¡I¡¡think£»¡¡than¡¡he¡¡knows¡¡himself¡£
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡WIND¡CLOUDS¡¡AND¡¡STAR¡DRIFTS¡£
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡II
Brief¡¡glimpses¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bright¡¡celestial¡¡spheres£»
False¡¡lights£»¡¡false¡¡shadows£»¡¡vague£»¡¡uncertain¡¡gleams£»
Pale¡¡vaporous¡¡mists£»¡¡wan¡¡streaks¡¡of¡¡lurid¡¡flame£»
The¡¡climbing¡¡of¡¡the¡¡upward¡sailing¡¡cloud£»
The¡¡sinking¡¡of¡¡the¡¡downward¡falling¡¡star£»
All¡¡these¡¡are¡¡pictures¡¡of¡¡the¡¡changing¡¡moods
Borne¡¡through¡¡the¡¡midnight¡¡stillness¡¡of¡¡my¡¡soul¡£
Here¡¡am¡¡I£»¡¡bound¡¡upon¡¡this¡¡pillared¡¡rock£»
Prey¡¡to¡¡the¡¡vulture¡¡of¡¡a¡¡vast¡¡desire
That¡¡feeds¡¡upon¡¡my¡¡life¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡burst¡¡my¡¡bands
And¡¡steal¡¡a¡¡moment's¡¡freedom¡¡from¡¡the¡¡beak£»
The¡¡clinging¡¡talons¡¡and¡¡the¡¡shadowing¡¡plumes£»
Then¡¡comes¡¡the¡¡false¡¡enchantress£»¡¡with¡¡her¡¡song£»